I just got that new cell phone yesterday which to me looks like a complicated piece of equipment.It has video, picture, net etc. Now how do I dial out?
My husband is getting a "Blackberry" today from work. I don't know what it does but I am sure this will mean he will work even more since now his e-mails from work will go there.
I do miss the olden days without cell phones. How do you feel about it?

I love them and hate them. I think all the teenagers running around with cell phones is ridiculous! I mean, how did we ever survive without those phones. People talking in restaurants, movie theaters, etc. Just walk through the mall and see how many people are talking their minutes away while they shop. I think they have gone too far with the text messeges, camera phones, etc. Those blackberries are deffinately to add work to the person who goes home. Yuck.

On the other hand, as a simple phone (without all the bells and whistles) it is convenient. I was going to visit someone last weekend and traffic put me about 30 minutes behind. I hate being late. Even worse, I hate when someone else is late coming to see me and never calls (they leave the house thirty minutes late but don't bother to call to say they will be thirty minutes late to your house). So for that, I was able to call while stuck in traffic to let them know I was held up. It worked out great because she needed to go to the store and this gave her the time and she knew we wouldn't show up while she was out.

Other than using it as a simple phone, I can't see the purpose. Even the photos are not even close to good quality like a digital camera. My daughter uses her cell phone (her dad bought it for her - not me) as a text message machine. Since I don't have the time to figure out how to answer her texts, I go on yahoo and reply to her phone. That way I can just type it in. I still prefer to hear her voice if she really needs to talk to me, but she loves to text. Hers also has the camera feature which she cannot even load to the computer without emailing it for a charge, so what's the point? ok, off my

Carole I think that is the point. The CHARGE. The phone companies make big bucks with all these added features. A simple cell phone is a good thing, but I have to agree all these other bells and whistles are just money makers for the phone companies.

RIght you are Carole,
I have a cell phone that is just that,,,a cell phone,,and nothing else. I can't take pictures with it, can't send text messages, can't even make a dessert topping with it, however, I can call someone to advise them that I'm stuck in traffic, or make reservations at a restaurant if we wish to save a little time when we arrive there. My cell carrier has tried to get me to take one of the fancy phones, but as long as this one works, I'll keep it.
See you aboard,
Ken

I had a simple cell phone until recently. Since I am the primary on our Verizon account, I get what's called "new every 2". This was the year for my "free" new phone, actually $100.00 towards a phone. I went online and found a $349.00 (retail price) phone that I could end up with for free. Here's how--since I would be renewing my contract for another 2 years, the price would be reduced to $199.00, less a $100.00 online rebate, less my $100.00 new every 2 credit. This makes the phone free and technically they owe me $1.00.

Anyway, the phone is a Motorola V710. It has camera, video, web and something called bluetooth technology. I don't even know what that is. My kids were mad when they heard about my phone. They claim "I'm not cool enough to have it". I haven't figured out or connected to the web yet and still don't know what bluetooth technology is but the camera, text and video are great.

My husband and 2 kids have camera phones. They got the same ones (not like mine). This way when my husband has a problem, which is often, he calls the kids for help. I have been very happy with Verizon. We have had them for a long time. The 4 phone lines with text packages on 3 phones runs me about $140.00 a month. I figure that comes to $35.00 a phone.

If I could hook the phone up to cable so I could watch all the Red Sox games when I'm working, I would be in heaven. <VBG>

I love them and hate them too. With daughters in college (we're on a family plan with IN calling so calls between us are free) they are a God send. We've had to have a talk with both of them when they went over their minutes. We solved part of the problem by buying them text messaging. I didn't get it. What I have found out is that they text message each other in situations where they shouldn't be talking on their phone..........like in class, in church, in a restaurant.................

I think my high school years would have been more pleasant if I had a cell phone. If I was 5 minutes later than my mother thought I should be, she would start pacing the driveway....................I figure in 1974, a cell phone would have been about as big as one of those old crank up phones!!!!!!! Funny site...............

Just recently, we went through a box of old cell phones (when we upgrade every two years we do get newer, fancier ones) and it was amazing how big the old ones really were. One of my favorite cell phone scenes is in Romy & Michelle's High School Reunion.........where one of the girls pulls out her big Motorola flip phone (I have one of those too) and says, "Hey, I have a cell phone if anyone wants to make a call." Funny how they used to be signs of success or prosperity..........doctors and other really important people had them............I even saw a homeless person talking on one once.......I wondered where he gets his bill.....figured it was probably broken but it gave him something to do...sad but sort of funny!

I'm with Carole... I love them and hate them... I like the peace of mind of knowing that if my car breaks down on a deserted highway, I can just call for help. But I hate that everyone in the airport terminal has to know how Aunt Judy's surgery went.

Boostermom--I do agree with the IN plan they are great. If I could get my daughter's boyfriend to switch to Verizon, our plan minutes would last longer. When she's back at college, She can't call him until after 9:00 pm.

Yes, we would like for boyfriend to switch too, but as we found out this summer when daughter was visiting North Carolina, we doesn't get Verizon where he lives. She had to call us on his phone!

Love IN. We are coming up on our first REAL, new every two time...................We've had these LG phones and have absolutely loved them. I would be interested in how your Motorola works. Do you like it? My first phone was a car phone, an Audiovox, OK......next phone was a Motorola Flip, pretty good, then Nokia., but I love the LG's. Maybe it's because I like the size, etc. Performance has been good.........

Let me know how the new phone works out. We also like Verizon, good coverage in Georgia and whevever else we've been. Got really good service in San Juan!!!

Have you ever looked at your daughter's bill and seen the minutes they use AFTER 9:00?? I was unbelievable. Some of the calls were like 58 minutes long.............especially this summer.................how can you talk on the phone that much?

Boostermom--she had one call to him on the weekend that was "130" minutes. And that was the third time she talked to him that day. It would make sense if she didn't talk to him all week or IM him on the computer.

As for the phone, I love it. Still need to figure out a few things but I have been very happy with it.

I Love them and hate them too. I use mine only to keep up with my kids, or sometimes for work. We know families who have done away with there land line, and just have cell phones. I don't like the small ones. It reminds me of a Barbie phone. lol

Ashley had SENT over 600 text messeges one month. At least that is what she told me.
I don't know how they have the patience to sit there and do that.

My phone has no camera, I had them disable the web feature (so I don't accidentally hit a button and connect - even though I lock my keys on the phone). I can text message but have only used that to say ok or thanks to my daughter when she sends me something. Don't have time to look at the keys and spell out messages. Thank you and Ok are templates on the phone.

Our truck has onstar so in emergencies we can use that too. It has come in handy to make calls when our cell phones are not picking up a signal. There are probably five or six people that have my cell number and only two that have our onstar number. They all know to try home first and only use the cell or onstar if it cannot wait till we get home. To me, cell phones are for a necessity, not just to chat on and waste time or disturb others in a restaurant or public place. JMHO

As a side story, we made my parents get a phone for emergencies. My mom doesn't drive and if something happened to my dad while they were out, she would be literally stranded. She knows how to call out and answer it. As for turning it on, that's a funny story. She went to Cingular and told the guy her phone was broken. She told him no matter what buttons she pushed nothing happened. He asked her if she charged the battery, she said yes. After looking at the phone for about 2 seconds, he showed her HOW TO TURN IT ON!!!!!!!

We made my IL's get phones when Verizon went to the IN program. My FIL has cancer and travels back and forth to Mayo in Jacksonville. We went through the same thing with them about turning it on. Then they get all these voice mails that they don't know how to retrieve. When we finally got them to learn how to turn it on, they would still turn it off "so they wouldn't use their minutes." Also my FIL has me on his speed dial as "#3" which is right next to the Power/On/Off button. I can't tell you how many calls I get from him................as he's turning his phone off or on!!!!!!

Gotta love em, but you can also hate them at times! I agree with all the posters about talking in public............especially in line at the grocery store. The clerks can't interact with you AND we all get to hear about everyone's this and that....................I especially hate those Nextel type phones that beep like two way radios.............

Actually here in the UK they now seem to be a must and I nmyself cannot complain as I work for one of the biggest providers a Company being called '3' owned by Hutchison Whampooa of Hong Kong. '3' is the first 3G technology mobile and you can watch all your favourite movies, tv and download what you want so very technical and big business over here.

For me, like the rest of you I only really want a mobile to make and receive calls and not for anything more technical as it does get complicated and this is definately where the company make their dosh.

I am afraid that I do beleive they are here to stay and over here, texting is a huge business machine where most of the money is made from as most teenagers see this as the coolest way to communicate and I must say it does top having to hear those mundane conversations when sitting on a train etc. At lest texting is kept private.

I have a few diffrent wireless deviced to keep me in touch with work. and personally i hate it. i use my work phone for personal business as i have been granted permission to. but after this vacation where i had nothing! i wish i could come back to nothing. i hate carrying around the phone and al that obnoxious ringing and whatnot. the hell with cell phones.

Cell phones seems to have some strange appeal to women. When I leave my office at the end of the work day I see droves of women walking out of the building and firing up their cell phones.
On the ride home I see car after car with women talking on their cell phones and talking with their hands. I pass some cars and see the woman talking and miles up the road I see the same car and the woman is still talking. It seems talking while driving has replaced listening to the radio or CDs.
I go to the grocery store and watch women walk in talking on the cell phone, go up and down the isles talking, go through check out talking and back to their car talking and drive away still talking.
Understand I do see men doing the same thing but it seems overwhelming to me that the majority are women from young girls to middle age.
This seems to be some sort of social phenomena going on here.

use my cell phone every day and I do use the web feature for checking financial and some stock information. I do not use a picture feature but the wireless providers love for everyone to send pictures. They make a mint off the minutes.

I think if you don't have a cell phone you will have one within five years. If not for personal communication then for emergencies

Cell and satellite phones have revolutionized telecommunications. Europe and Japan are about three years ahead of North America in usage and features. It's because their homes and businesses were not wired for communication and cell technology was the perfect solution.

I have used a cell phone for over 20 years. I remember my first cell phone it was 10" high and weighed about 3 lbs. I will say it had some range. It had to because their weren't many towers and it only worked in a few major metropolitan areas. I now carry one with me at all times for communication and health reasons. It is set up with a panic button feature that immediately calls a specific number.

At this time there is no way I will drop my hard wired service. Cell technology is still vulnerable to natural disasters and other interference. If you lose a tower, especially in a semi-rural area you don't have service.

Take care,
Mike(Who actually dislikes the fact cell phones are so small)

__________________Cruisemates Community Leader/Moderator

"There is a great difference between being well traveled and just having been to many places." ~Me

If I could add my useless opinion, I too have a love -hate thing about cells. Well, really it's not the cells but the people who abuse them. For years I worked without a cell phone. When I was out and away from the office I had a good deal of freedom but yet did my job very well, as I had time to actually do my job as opposed to being on the phone.
Finally the company made it mandatory that we get cells with them paying for it. For a while I was able to get by without having mine turned on all the time. Then I was found out on that and told to keep it on. I told the office staff not to give out my cell number. That bought me some more time but eventually I had to keep the phone on and take calls. There was, of course, times when I was away from the car or speaking with someone face to face that the phone was off but when I checked the phone later I almost always had several messages to call here, there, etc.
There were times when it was very helpful but for the most part, I think it was a pain.

They can certainly be helpful but as most other people have said, walking around the store, standing in the check out line, and my biggest complaint--- someone sitting in a restaurant chatting about something silly where a dozen people around are having to hear them-- is not cool.
So, as I said, It's not the cells but the abuse by people who have no regard for themselves or others.

When I retired I really wanted to place the cell and laptop on the garage floor and back the car over them a couple of times and then scrape up all the little pieces and turn them in but I thought better of it at the last minute !

Interesting thoughts! My youngest daughter did the ringer for me..carribean music like on the cruise ships. Middle daughter on the way home from school today found out how to log on the web and did an instant message.I told her not to do it again..
Oldest daughter is moving tomorrow into a new place and asked me today if I can get her a cell....I did figure out how to make a picture and use it as my wall paper..it's my dog

Another vote for love/hate but as my kids have gotten their licenses I feel better knowing they have the phones for emergencies (and they have strict orders no talking while driving...yeah, like they follow that!)
I do like personalizing the ringtones....have Under the Sea for my daughter, Georgia tech fight song for my son (it's on his list of potential colleges) and a Napoleon Dynamite ringtone for hubby which I really should change since it's Napoleon saying "freakin idiot" but it's kind of fun.
I also have a work cell phone and for awhile got away with leaving it in my desk drawer at the office while I was out in the field.....that is, until my drawer started ringing!
Angela Z.

I hate the things, and people making private conversations in public is my biggest pet peeve. That being said, I got one for Christmas last year (hubby) and despite all it's features, I have so far only been able to answer it when it rings, and use it for calls if I can remember the number. (I haven't figured out how to store numbers and access them...) It has come in handy in certain situations, but mostly I keep it turned off, and rarely use it. I also find it too small to read, but maybe that's my eyesight, not the phone!

You talk until you are blue, but your teeth remain white.
This technology temporarily compensates for the color imbalance by shading your teeth as well, so your face can remain an even shade of whatever blue you talk yourself into.........

__________________

Just 1 month to go until the "Cruise Cynic Mystery Cruise" ... January 2008